One Day in Yangon
The Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, Myanmar
Exploring in Yangon for One Day
After a couple of magical days in Inle Lake, our tour of Myanmar was near the end but we had one more stop planned with a one-day visit to Yangon, formerly known as Rangoon.
Yangon is the largest city in Myanmar and in the core of the city British colonial architecture is predominant. It is a bustling city with traffic jams, markets, parks, and modern high rises.
One of the main attractions is the Shwedagon Pagoda, seen in the photo above.
But what else could we see and do, having just one day left in Myanmar?
Two monks leaving the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon
Bus From Inle Lake to Yangon
We were slightly anxious about this last leg of our Myanmar journey as it involved an overnight bus ride from Inle Lake to Yangon. We had not done an overnight bus since we traveled from Denmark to ski in the Alps back in the late eighties/early nineties.
We were looking at a 10-hour ride, 570 kilometers, 354 miles, and we picked JJ Express again. Tickets were $25.00 per person. Blankets were provided and we were armed with melatonin, water, and snacks to get us through the night.
When we arrived in Yangon at 5:30 am we both agreed it was not as bad as we had feared. The melatonin did the trick and we managed to get some rest.
The JJ Express bus from Inle Lake to Yangon
Deep sleep was out of the question as the roads are bumpy in this part of the world. We shared a cab with another couple to the city center, $2.50 per couple.
Backpacker Bed & Breakfast
We stayed at the Backpacker Bed & Breakfast in the downtown core. The cost was $26.00 for one night for a superior double, with a private bath. The room included free toiletries, a shower, air conditioning, toilet, toilet paper, towels, linens, slippers, and wake-up service.
It was tight quarters at the Backpacker B&B. A narrow set of stairs led to the elevator which took us to a tiny lobby.
There was just enough room around the bed in our room to put down our bags. Back on the elevator, you go to the small rooftop restaurant which was fine and quite cozy.
The room was not available till 1 pm but they let us have the included breakfast on arrival as we would be leaving early the following morning before the restaurant would open. Good service.
We had eggs, toast, coffee, and tea, then reshuffled our luggage and left four bags at the front desk. It was time to head out and explore.
A busy side street in the downtown core of Yangon, Myanmar
Self-Guided Walking Tour
With an early start to the day, we wandered in the direction of the Shwedagon Pagoda. The morning commute was in full swing and the markets were already busy.
The 3.3-kilometer walk was a great way to get a feel for the city before entering the main attraction.
Yangon, walking route suggestion. Click to view a larger map.
Shwedagon Pagoda
It was easy to spot the Shwedagon pagoda from a distance. The 112-meter, 367-foot, tall pagoda is located on Singuttara Hill, 51 meters, 167 feet, above sea level, and the value is estimated at a whopping $3 billion dollars. We arrived at 8:30 am and it wasn’t too crowded yet.
The walkways leading to and from the Shwedagon Pagoda are almost as impressive as the pagoda itself. Countless vendors are set up along the way. And the view from the pagoda was equally impressive.
We explored the Pagoda for a while but tiredness was setting in after our overnight bus ride and as the heat intensified we decided to head out in search of a strong coffee.
The Shwedagan Pagoda
Coffee Break in Yangon
We meandered down the streets towards General Aung San Park and enjoyed the nice weather. Some of the streets were quiet and this is often the type of setting we cherish when traveling.
Di found a Café with good ratings nearby. The Bodhi Nava Café had just the mix we were looking for. Great coffee and a very soothing mango pineapple smoothy bowl in a quiet setting.
It gave us the energy we needed for the walk back to the Backpackers B&B where we crashed for a well-deserved nap.
Colonial buildings in decay
High Tea at The Strand
Our friends, Gerd and Niels, suggested we should go for high tea at The Strand. It was about a 15-minute walk to The Strand and we spotted several older buildings with British colonial architecture, many of them left in decay.
Di was excited about the high tea so I was excited that Di was excited :) Jokes aside. It was fun to witness the remains from colonial times but I found it a bit fake and pretentious. Di enjoyed the experience.
The Sule Pagoda
The remaining part of our day we spent walking the area around the Sule Pagoda and Maha Bandula Park. This was a wonderful experience in the warmth of a January evening.
Friends and families were gathered in the park and there was a genuinely good and peaceful atmosphere. We made it an early night as alarms were set for 4:30 am, the next morning when we had an early flight for Kuala Lumpur.
The Sule Pagoda in Yangon
Departure From Yangon
We left Backpackers B&B at 5:20 am on foot headed for a nearby bus stop. The streets were quiet and we saw rats running up and down the sidewalks. Maybe we should have taken a taxi after all.
We did find the bus stop and I felt impatient wanting to be at the airport already. A very friendly local man was also headed for the airport and helped up get on the right bus and even helped pay the fare as we didn’t have the exact change.
He gave us his card and mentioned if we were ever back in Yangon to contact him.
Final Thoughts on Yangon and Myanmar
The Burmese people were so friendly to us. From the first couple of days in Mandalay to an exceptional adventurous stay in Bagan and a wonderful boat tour in Inle Lake. It was one of our favorite destinations during our 5050 Travelog project.
The last day in Yangon was as hectic as the city itself and we admit it was our least favorite destination in Myanmar.
We are glad we did not go without seeing Yangon but as we arrived at the airport we were happy to be on our way.
People gathered in Maha Bandula Park in Yangon, Myanmar
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The photos in this article are made using a Fujifilm X-Pro2. Lenses: XF 14mm f/2.8 R - XF 23mm f/1.4 R - XF 35mm f/1.4 R - XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR (links to my camera and lens reviews). Editing was done in Capture One Express. I used Fujifilm film simulations for some of the photos.
